3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs -- separated

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Coconut Milk -- recipe below

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups coconut -- freshly grated

sweetened whipped cream or whipped -- topping

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar and cream until very light.

2. Beat egg yolks until lemon-colored; add to butter mixture, blending well.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture in 3 parts, alternating with Coconut Milk and ending with flour mixture.

4. Add vanilla; stir in 3/4 cup grated coconut.

5. Beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into cake batter.

6. Turn batter into 2 greased, floured 9-inch layer pans; bake in preheated 350 F. oven 25 minutes, or until cake tester or wood pick inserted near center comes out dry.

7. Cool in pans 15 minutes.

8. Loosen and invert on rack to cool completely.

9. Frost with whipped cream; sprinkle remaining grated coconut over top and sides of cake.

Coconut Milk 3/4 cup milk 3 tablespoons grated coconut, packed

1. Combine milk and coconut in saucepan.

2. Scald milk, cover, and let steep 30 minutes.

3. Strain milk, pressing out as much liquid as possible from coconut.

Posted to Recipelu by sooz